Can opener



Dec. l0, 1935.

- B. PoLAK CAN OPENER Filed May 25, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet l B. PoLAK CAN OPENER Filed May 25, 1952 Dee. 1 0, 1935..

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 1o, 1935. B, OLK 2,023,744

CAN OPENER Filed May 25, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 B pozK )N veu-ro Q GPH-51;. I

Dec. 10, 1935. B. PO'LAK 2,023,744

CAN OPENER y Filed May 25, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Dec. l0, 1935.

B. PoLK CAN OPENER Filed May 25, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 B. PHA/R Patented Dec. 10, 1935 PATENT OFFICE lCAN OPENER Bohumil Polak, Prague, Czechoslovakia, assignor to the firm Grodetky & Polak, Prague, Czechoslovakia Application May 25, 1932, Serial No. 613,499 In Czechoslovakia March 16, 1932 l Claims.

Can-openers are known in which a cutter guided along the rim of the can is moved by means of apulling wheel rolling on the under side of the can rim and cuts open the top of the can. 5 In these can-openers either the cutter of the pulling wheel is arranged on a lever rockably supported on the carrying shield of the opener, the two limiting positions of which determine the maximum and minimum distances of -the cutting edge from the periphery of the pulling wheel. This measure is necessary in the known opener, on the one hand for the purpose of enabling it to be mounted on the can in such a way that the cutter is on the inside of the rim of the can and the pulling wheel is located underneath the said rim, and on the lother hand in order to force the cutter into the top of the can when rocking the lever and thereby adjusting the said distance to a and in order to press the pulling wheel against the under side of the rim of the can. Now when the pulling wheel is rotated it pulls the entire opener -with it' by rolling along the under side of the can rim, and the cutter cuts the top of the can open.

to the arrangement of the rocking levers, the characteristic of a complicated kitchen utensil. The object of this invention is to construct the can-opener so simply that it can be associated with the cans as a handy cutter, like the lidlifters for cream cartons, by arrangingthe cutter and also the pulling wheel in a stationary position on the carrying shield. 'Ihis measure, however, requires a special formation of the can, for the purpose'of keeping the distance of the parts of the vcan that are' concerned yin the action of the cutter and of the pulling wheel from one another so great, at that position on the can which is intended for the mounting of the can opener, that it will be possible to mount the opener on the can. This formation of the can consists in a suitable depression or indentation in the top or in the rim of the can or in both. If the cutter is to make the cut in the peripheral part of the can, so that the top and vthe rim are severed from the periphery, this depression may be provided on the periphery of the can. The opener, mounted on the can at this point and pressed against the can, can there- 50 fore be brought, merely by rotating the pulling wheel, into the cutting position, in which definite parts of the can are nipped between the cutter and the pulling wheel'.

The invention also provides means for connecting the opener, mounted on the can at the These'box-top openers havetherefore, owing (Cl. 22o-48) starting point, with the can itself, in such a way that only the rim of the can is nipped in the carrying shield of the opener, without the cutter being inserted in the part of the can to be cut open. This result is obtained by diminishing the 5 distance between the cutter and the pulling wheel, measured in the axial direction of thevpulling Wheel, by deformng the carrying shield of theopener, after mounting the latter on the can at the starting point. The pulling wheel is thereby 1o brought into its working position in relation to the surface of the can rim, so that the opener cannot be removed even vby tilting the rim of the can, and is kept pressed against the latter. It is therefore possible to transport the can with the opener, without any risk ofthe opener changing its position into a vertical direction owing to external inuence and thereby enabling the cutter to pierce the can.

Various constructional examples of the can 20 opener according to the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in'which `Figures 1 to 5 show one constructional form, Figure 1 being a plan of the opener and of a can with the top already partly cut open,

Figure 2 a section on the line :r-- in Figure 1,

Figure 3 a view of the opener looking from the cutter side, y

Figure 4 a front view of the carrying shield of the opener, and

Figure 5 a section of the carrying shield on the line y-y in Figure 2.

Figures 6 and 7 show the second form of construction in perspective and in sectional elevation respectively.

Figures 8 and 9 show another form of construction of the can-opener, which in Fig. 8 is shown in elevation, with a section at the mounting point, and with the can-opener shown in end elevation in its originals/bape, while 40 Figure 9 is a vsection on the line 2 2, with the opener in its operative position. y

Figures 10 and 11 show a fourth constructional form, Figure v10 showing a can in elevation, and in section at the mounting point, with an end 45 view of the opener mounted loosely thereon, and

Figure 11 showing'a plan of the can'with the can-opener gripped on the mounting point of the can. H

Figure 12 is a front view larger scale, while Figures 13,y 14 and 15 show sections on the line 'v-v in Figure 12 of various constructional formsa of the bearing for the pulling wheel, and its connection'with the handle. X 55 ofthe opener on a 5o of the can, while the inner ange 4 of the U h I, which is bent to a U-shape at its upper end.

The transverse bridge-piece 2 of this U-shaped prole bears upon the upper. side`3 of the rim shaped prole is sharpened to fform a cutting edge 5. On the carrying shield I is arranged a pulling wheel 6, the shaft of which is journalled in the carrying shield and is rigidly connected with a. handle 1. I

n As the pulling wheel 6 rotates, and in so doing rolls along the under side 8 of the rim of the ithe rim 3 of the can. The opener is only connected firmly with the can by deforming the carcan, the cutter 5 cuts open the top 9 of the can in a known manner.

In this constructional form the rim of the can has a peripheral depression orindentation III, of which the -lateral boundary wall facing the direction of movement of the pulling wheel is formed by a more or less steep ramp I I pressed in' on the under side of the rim and merging at its lower end into the under side of he rim. It is, therefore, possible to place the lopener on the can in the manner indicated in broken lines in Figure 2. This ramp is preferably ridged or toothed, so that as the pulling wheel revolves and rolls along theramp II the carrying shield is lowered and the cutter 5v is forced into the top 9 of the can.

In order to ensure constant contact of the pulling wheel with the' under side of the rim of the can the pulling wheel is subjectedto a pressure directed towards the interior of the tin. This is obtained by providing the carrying shield I with a guiding lug I2 sliding on the` periphery of the tin, and with a marginal notch I3 in its leading edge in the region of ,the cam rim, thereby giving the pulling wheel such a position that its` plane formsan angle a (Figure 1) with the tangent to the peripheral surface of the can at the cutting point. The cutting edge 5 (Figure 1), standing at the same inclination, in producing the cut I4, steadily presses the pulling wheel against the peripheral surface of the can. t

In theform of construction illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 the top 9- of the can is provided with a more or less steep depression or indentation I5 extending in the direction of movement of the pulling wheel. The side I6 of this indentation adjacent to the rim of the can is preferably eccentric, in order to give the pulling wheel a cerltain pull in a radial direction towards the periphery of the can and to determine the position of the cut I produced by the cutter. In this constructional form the cutter I may be provided with a guiding shoe I1 at its leading end.

' In this case also the mounting of the opener upon the rim of the can is possible, and the result isv obtained that when the pulling wheel is rotated the cutter is guided up theascending bottom of the indentation I5 and draws the pulling wheel towards the under side of the rim. The resistance to cutting maintains the pulling wheel in this position. f

The measures adopted on the cans illustrated in Figures l, 2 and 6 may be employed in combination, in order to moderate the deformations of the various parts of the can.

In the constructional form illustrated in Figures 8 and 9 the top 9 of the can is provided, at the position intended for the putting on of the opener, with a depression or indentation I9, which is so deep that the' cutter of the opener, bearing in the working position on the rim of the can and held fast. still remains out of contact with the material of the top.

'dentation I5. 'Preferably pressed against the inside of the distance of the flange 4 ofi the U-shaped profile, constructed with a cutting edge 5, from the little pulling wheel 6, measured in the axial direction of the wheel, is so great that the opener can be mounted astride of the rim of the tin without any dilculty.

The opener can therefore easily be set up on the can rim in such a way that the transverse bridge-piece 2 of the U-shaped profile bears upon rying shield, in which deformation the aforemen- 15 tioned distance between the cutter and the pulling wheel is diminished insuch a way that the pulling wheel obtains a hold on the under side of the can rim, as shown in broken lines in Fig-l ure 8.

, l 20 This deformation of the carrying shield is effected in a simple manner by means of a pressing implement, for instance pincers or pliers, and effects for example'the narrowing of the U-profle by pressing there is provided before the flange 4 a lug 2 I, which is separated from the latter by a gap 26, shown in Figure 9, and which, by pressing against the inside of the can the rim of the can.

In the form of construction illustrated in Figures 10 and 11 the top, together with the rim of the tin, is cut away from the peripheral part of the flange 4 against the side of the in- 25 yrim 3, can also firmly connect the opener with 30 the tin. For this purpose it is necessary for the 35 indentation 22 to be provided in the periphery of the tin, and for the little pulling wheel 6 to be the box rim after the opener has been put on. This is accomplished in the same manner as in the case of the constructional form first described. In this form of construction also, by deforming the carrying shield, the opener is so' firmly connected with the can thatit can only be moved along the-rim of `the canl by rotating the pulling wheel. 45

\ The forms of construction illustrated in Figures 12 to 15 are designedwith a view to making the manufacture of the opener as simple as possible, and to making the opener strong while employing thin or weak material.

It is common the handle 1 a hollow pivot 2l and a square hollow stud or rivet 25, upon whichthe pulling wheel 6 5 to' all these constructional forms o that the transverse bridge-piece 2 of the carrying carrying shield, and, 'on the cutter 55 is mounted. The latter is secured by forming a w rivet head 26 on the stud 25.

According to Figure 14 a hollow bearing journal 21 located within the carrying shield I is drawn out of the pulling wheel 6, and the square hollow stud or rivet 25 is while according to 21 and a hollow stud or rivet 28 are drawn out of the pulling wheel.

What I claim is:-

rawn out of vthe handle 1; 65 gure 15 the bearing journal 1. In combination, a can for preserves and the 70 like and a can opener for cutting it open, the can comprising a rim around the top and being. formed with a depression, the said opener being port and readily shifted from the idle position into the vcutting position, the said can opener comprising a carrying shield of U-shaped cross section engaged over the rim of the can, a cutting blade integral with one arm of the U-shaped carrying shield, a pulling wheel journalled in the other arm of the said carrying shield the cutting blade and the pulling wheel being in substantially parallel planes, and the pulling wheel being adapted when rotated to roll around the rim and drive the cutting blade through the material `of the can, and means for manually rotating the pulling wheel.

2. In combination, a can for preserves and the like and a can opener for cuttingit ope the can comprising a rim around the top and being formed with a depression, the said opener being `mounted on the rim in an idle position deter.

mined by the said depression suitable for transport and readily shifted from the idle position into thecutting position, said can opener comprising a carrying shield of U-shaped cross section engaged over the rim of the can, a cutting blade integral with one arm of the U-shaped carrying shield, a pulling wheel rotatably mounted on the other arm of the carrying shield, the cutting blade and the pulling Wheel being in substantially parallel planes, and the pulling wheel being adapted when rotated to roll Iaround the rim and drivethe cutting blade through the material of the can and a handle for manually rotating the pulling wheel, a hollow journal for rotatably supporting the pulling wheel and the handle.

3'. In combination, a preserve can or the like comprising a body member and a closure member joined to the body member by a anged joint forming a rim and at least one of the said members having a depression therein, and a can opener comprising a U-shaped carrying shield one arm of which constitutes a guide, a cutting blade carried on the other arm of the shield, a pulling 5 wheel rotatably mounted on the carrying shield, the shield at a position determined by the depression being in straddled engagement about the rim in such a manner that while the pulling wheel directly engages the guiding surface of the rim, the cutting blade is kept at a distance from the cutting zone of the can, the engagement of the rim by the pulling wheel being eiected by rotating the pulling wheel, its continued-rotation bringing the cutting blade into action. l5

4. In combination, a preserve can or the like comprising a body member and a closure member joined to the body member by a flanged joint forming a rim and at least one of the said members havinga depression therein, and a can opener comprising a U-.shaped carrying shield, one arm of which constitutes a guide, a cuttingI blade extending from the other arm, the shield being in straddled engagement about the rim at a position determined by the depression with the cutting blade tted in the depression, a pulling Wheel rotatably mounted on the main part of the shield and engageablewith a surface of the rim opposed to the cutting blade, the engagement of the material of the can between the cutter and the pulling wheel being merely effected by rotating the pulling wheel, its continual rotation bringing the cutting blade into action.

5. A combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein the depression in the rim comprises a serrated ramp.

BOHUMIL POLAK. 

